Compounding transmission and clutch assembly therefor



March 23, 1954 'v. D. HANES 2,672,768 COMPOUNDING TRANSMISSION AND CLUTCH ASSEMBLY THEREFOR Filed Dec. 1, 1949 2 Sheets-$heet 1 TO SELECTIVE g TR Amm 2 "iii r- EMA WAN H 22 g H VAUGHN DEAN HANE$ BY ATTORN EY March 23, 1954 v. D. HANES COMPOUNDING TRANSMISSION AND CLUTCH ASSEMBLY THEREF Filed Dec. 1, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 23, 1954 RAN SMIS SION AND COMPOUNDIN G T CLUTCH ASSE MBLY THEREFOR Vaughn Dean Hanes, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Emsco Manufacturing Company,

Los Angeles, Califi, a corporation of California Application December 1, 1949, Serial No. 130,532

2 Claims.

The present invention relates generally to power means for the operation of the various devices constituting the drilling equipment of an an oil well; and is more particularly concerned with novel means for selectively connecting and distributing power from a plurality of sources, such as internal combustion engines.

As is generally known in the oil Well drilling art, the usual devices employed in the drilling operation have different power requirements and may be required at certain times to operate singly, and at other times simultaneously in combination. This diversity of power requirements is compensated for by the utilization of some form of compounding transmission, by means of which a plurality of power sources such as internal combustion engines may be efiiciently connected and their power distributed through a plurality of clutch assemblies so that all of the engines may be compounded for full load requirements, and at other times a single engine may be utilized for operating devices requiring less power.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an object of the present invention to provide in a simplified compounding transmission a novel selector means operable from a single remote position for selectively interconnecting and controlling the transmission of power between a plurality of power delivery shafts which are connected to individual power sources, such as internal combustion engines.

A further object is to provide an improved novel multi-position clutch arrangement which may be mounted on one power delivery shaft of a compounding transmission, and is so arranged as to be actuatable by a single operating lever to selectively interconnect this shaft with two other rotatable members, such as, for example, power delivery shafts.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be brought out in the following part of the specification, wherein detailed description is employed for the purpose of disclosing the invention without limiting its scope.

Referring to the drawings, which are for illustrative purposes only:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view illustrating a compounding transmission embodying the features of the present invention, the various elements having been shown more or less schematically, since the invention does not consist in the specific details of construction, but in the novel manner in which the parts are combined and interconnected;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary isometric view showing details of the clutch operating mechanism utilized in the present invention, a section being taken substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and

Figs. 3 to 7 inclusive are partial axial sections through the clutch mechanism respectively showing more or less diagrammatically the operative position of the clutch parts.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, the present invention contemplates generally a compounding transmission which will permit the selective connection and distribution of power from a plurality of power sources, which may assume various types but have been illustrated as comprising internal combustion engines A, B and C positioned in side by side alignment along one side of a compounding transmission casing ID.

The engines A, B and C are respectively connected to power delivery drive shafts l2, l3 and it, these shafts being arranged in parallel within the casing and in each case rotatably journaled in suitable bearing structures 1 5 and Hi supported in the side walls of the casing. Each of the engines is connected with its associated drive shaft through a conventional clutch ll of friction or hydraulic type by means of which the delivery of power may be independently controlled from the respective engines to their associated drive shafts.

As shown in 1, the engines A and C are positioned outward of engine B so that shaft I2 is located at one end of the casing It and the shaft is at the other end. Shaft I2 is provided with a sprocket [8 which is keyed or other wise secured to the shaft for rotation therewith. This sprocket is adapted to be connected through a suitable flexible transmission connection 1 with the driving mechanism of an associated draw works or rotary table (not shown) or to a selective transmission, as indicated.

The shafts l3 and M of engines B and C respectively are extended on the opposite side of the casing ID from that on which the engines are mounted, the extensions being indicated at 13' and M. The shaft extensions I3 and [4 have fixably secured thereon for rotation therewith driving sheaves 20 and 2!, the shaft extensions being supported at the sheaves in conventional bearings 22 and 23. The shaft extensions are respectively detachably connectable in each case with the main shafts through a clutch 24 which is mounted exteriorly. of the casing.

The shaft extension i3 is of greater length than the shaft extension I4 20 and 2| will be oifset so as to permit their so that the sheaves connection through flexible transmission connections and 26 with mud pumps 21 and 28, as indicated at the opposite end of the casing ID from that at which the selective transmission is located.

In the arrangement thus far described, the ensine A would be, available only for driving the drilling; equipment, and; engines B2 and C would be available respectively for driving independently the mud pumps. power developed by all the engines for certain operations, it becomes necessaryin order.- to: have a flexible arrangement to make provision so that the three engines A, B and C may be compounded, and also that under certain circumstances two engines may be utilized for driving one or the other of the mud pumps.

In the present invention, flexibility of power distribution is accomplished in a novel manner by the provision of a multi-position clutch mechanism as generally indicated by numeral 2.9:, this clutch mechanism being associated with shaft, iii of. engine B and transmission connections with shafts. l2 and i4 asv will hereinafter be des ribed.

As: shown in Fig. 3, a body having the form of a collar 3 is keyed or otherwise seouredtothe shaft l3 for rotation therewith. This collar is, provided intermediate its ends with a projecting circum ferentially extending flange 3! which is formed around its periphery with clutch teeth 32.

On one sid of the collar there is provided asecond body or quill 3.3. which is rotatively supported on the shaft i3 by suitable bearings 3 and formed on its exterior surface to provide a sprocket 35. The inner end of the quill 33 is formed with an extension 35- of tubular construction so as to extend over the adjacent end of the collar- 30. This extension is provided on its exterior surface with clutch teeth 3'! which are aligned with clutch teeth 32'.

A similar body or quill 38 is positioned on the opposite side of collar 36 and is rotatively sup-- ported. on the shaft l3 by suitable bearings This quill isv in a. similar manner provided on its exterior surface with a sprocket it and an extension 4.! at its innermost end which extends over the adjacent. end of the collar 36 and has clutch teeth 42 on its outer surface which are alignable with clutch teeth 32.

Associated with the three clutch bodies consisting of collar and quills 33 and 38 is a fourth clutch body shown as a concentrically disposed and axially shiftable clutch ring 13 having its exterior surface provided with a circumierentially extending groove 44. Internally the clutch rips is provided with a set of internal clutch teeth 45 at, one end and another set of internal clutch teeth 46 at the opposite end. It will be observed that the sets of clutch teeth t5 and 4-6 are separated by an internal groove il, this groove being of such width as to rotatably receive the teeth and permit shifting of the clutch ring to a position wherein the clutch teeth 42 and clutch teeth 3! may be interconnected for driving the quills as a unit. Moreover, it will be noted that the overall length of the clutch teeth 45 and 45 is of such extent from outer end to outer end thereof that the ring may be shifted to. a position wherein both sets of teeth on the ring are engaged with clutch teeth 42 on the quill 38,.

As, shown in Fig. 1, the sprocket is connected through a flexible transmission connection 48 with a rotatable member comprising a sprocket 49 keyed or otherwise secured to the shaft, for rotation therewith. Thesprockct l'fl is. connected Due to the requirement of full through a flexibl transmission connection 50 with another rotatable member comprising a sprocket 5| fixedly secured to the shaft M for rotation therewith.

From the description above of the clutch 29, it will be seen that there are five clutch positions. Provision is made for shitting the. clutch ring 44 to, each or the these positions actuation of a single operating member which is shown in Fig. 2; as comprising an elongate lever 52 which is connected at one end to a shaft 53 for swinging movementover-the upper enclosing wall 54 of the compounding transmission casing l0. Five dwell points as indicated by numeral 55 are provided along an arc of movement of the lever 52 in the casing: wall and are arranged to cooperate with a suitable spring detent means 56 to releasably retain the lever 52- in shifted positions of moveme t.

The shaft 53 is vertically positioned and supported for rotation in suitable bearings 51 A pair of projecting arms 58-48 are fixedly secured to the shaft 53, in spaced relation, and at their outermost ends are slidably connected with the clutch ring 43 by means of pins 59 supported at the outermost end of the arms 58 and arranged to extend into the groove 44 so as to permit rotational movement of the clutch ring and yet onable axial shifting thereof by swinging, the, lever 52 from one draw position to the other.

Beginning with the control lever 52 in, the first position, the clutch parts will be in the position shown in Fig. 3, wherein the quill 3,3 is connected to the collar 3b to cause the sprocket 35 to rotate with the shaft i3. Shafts l2 and 13 are therefore interconnected for unitary rotation.

With the lever on position 2, the parts will be as, shown in Fig. 4 with the clutch ring 43 straddling the clutch teeth 32 on the collar 30 and its teeth clutchingly engaging the teeth of quills 33 and 38 so that they will rotate as a unit on the shaft l3. As thus connected, the. shaft I3 is free to rotate independently, but shaft l2 and shaft. l4 will be interconnected for unitary operation.

In the position 3 of the lever 52, the clutch ring 43, Will be shifted as shown in Fig. 5, wherein the clutch teeth 48 of the ring engages. with clutch teeth 31 and 32 so as to interconnect the collar and quill 33, and the clutch teeth 45 will engage with clutch teeth 42 of quill 38. Thus, the collar 39, quill 33 and quill 38 are clutchingly engaged and the shafts l2, l3. and i4 will thus be interconnected for unitary operation.

By further shifting of the lever 52 so as to be in position 4, the clutch ring 43 will be further shifted to a position as shown in Fig. 6, wherein the clutch teeth 46 will now engage clutch teeth 32 of the collar to and clutch teeth 42 of the quill 38'. Under such conditions, shaft l3 and M will be connected for unitary operation, Whereas quill 33' now being rotatable on shaft I3 will permit independent. operation of shaft 12.

When the lever 52 is shifted to its position 5, as shown in Fig. '7', the clutch ring 43 has both sets of teeth 45. and 46 in engagement with the clutch teeth 42 of the quill 38 so that the shaits l2, l3 and M will be free for independent operation.

The multi-position clutching arrangement contained on a single shaft and operable by a single control lever provides a simple but extremely flexible arrangement by which the power from a plurality of engines may be distributed and corn.- pounded for actuation of the various devices utilizes particular y. to the, dril in o Q1 we the amount of power projecting therefrom; a third clutch body rotatably mounted on said shaft adjacent the opposite side of said first clutch body, said third clutch body having third therefrom;

in straddling relation to said first clutch teeth and will respectively engage said second and third clutch teeth, so that when said sleeve is shifted into a first position teeth of said sleeve will engage said first, second, and third clutch teeth, whereby connecting all of said clutch bodies for simultaneous rotation, into a second position so that when said sleeve is shifted teeth of said sleeve will connect said first clutch teeth, and so that when said sleeve is it may be shifted to a position wherein its teeth will be disengaged from the teeth of at least two of said clutch bodies so that all of said clutch bodies will be free of interconnection by said sleeve; and means for shifting said sleeve between said positions thereof.

2. In a power transmission apparatus for selectively connecting a shaft member to two rotatable members: a first clutch body on said shaft ing said first clutch body to said shaft; a second clutch body rotatably mounted on said shaft adjacent one side of said first clutch body, said second clutch body having second clutch teeth projecting therefr ab y mounted on s from; transmission slde of said first om; a third clutch body rotataid shaft adjacent the opposite clutch body, said third clutch clutch teeth projecting theremeans for connecting said second and third clutch bodies respectively to said two rotatable member disposed in external relati and third clutch bodies axially of said shaft and a said clutch bodies said four clutch teeth spaced axiall s; a fourth clutch body on to said first, second long the exteriors of th clutch body having y so that when said fourth clutch body is in an intermediate position said spaced teeth will be in said first clutch teeth and gage said second and third when said fourth clutch b first position teeth of said f engage said first, second a thereby connecting all of simultaneous rotation, int that when said fourth clut of said fourth clutch bod and second clutch teeth, fourth clutch body is sh tion teeth of said fourt nect said first and third clutch body being arra shifted to a position disengaged from the t remaining clutch bod 0nd and third clutch connection by said f0 for shifting said fou clutch wherein its positions thereof.

Number Number straddling relation to will respectively enteeth, so that ody is shifted into a ourth clutch body will nd third clutch teeth, said clutch bodies for o a second position so ch body is shifted teeth y will connect said first ifted into a third posih clutch body will conclutch teeth, said fourth nged so that it may be teeth will be eeth of at least two of the ies so that said first, secbodies will be free of interurth clutch body; and means rth clutch body between said VAUGHN DEAN HAN ES,

References Cited in the file of UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Sherman Ahlm Young Robbins Davey Spalding FOREIGN PATENTS Country France this patent Date Nov. 3, 1903 Dec. 25, 1928 Feb. 12, 1935 Nov. 26, 1935 Jan. 1.8, 1938 Nov. 15, 1949 Jan. 2, 1951 Jan. 30, 1951 Feb. 13, 1951 Date Nov. 14, 1932 

